A busy 2023 both Home and Away meant blogging has been on hold for most of the year with plans to finally reboot to make sure 2024 begin as up to date as is possible. As the tag for this year was the split between Home and Away it seems fitting to title the sections as such in this opening summary of 2023.
Home
The Countdown Weights reached their third anniversary of existence back in April with the pursuit of 1.5 Million lifts well underway. A number of milestones in the first four months of the year included regularly hitting weekly totals of 11,000, round totals of above 150 and daily records going above 2200. At the halfway point of 2023, the status was 156 in terms of round total, 11,400 as a weekly high and also an overall of around 1.4 Million.
Work continued with the future transition from the last post taking place in February which saw a move from using a laptop to a desktop and a mini office space created at home. The online friendships with my closest friends both here and overseas had both growth and weakness alike the last post with some connections loosening before gaining new strength and other sadly ending altogether.
As the new season of attendances began in February, Gaming increased with all but March and May above 150 unlocks with the best month being the haul of 253 unlocks in January.
Rugby League (Wigan)
After a record 90 attendances in 2022, the first half of 2023 saw a whopping 78 attendances across many levels and also meant it was a case of when rather than if the 2022 record would be toppled.
The season began with a unique RPA/DW double against Salford with the Academy storming to an 84-0 win before the seniors had success in Sam Powell's Testimonial. Back-to-back losses saw the Academy defeated by Oldham with SL's opener at Hull KR being a hard loss to take given the journey. Wins over Wakefield, Castleford for the men and first visit to Salford Roosters to see the Wigan Women overcome Salford saw February end well and March begin positively which included the start of the Women's squad pic goal to have all 30 or so players in a selfie across the season.
Losses to Catalans and St Helens/Warrington Scholarships tri-sandwiched a haul of seven wins which included the highest score of the season in a 102-0 hammering of Newcastle Thunder Academy at RPA as well as success over Huddersfield and Salford. Four new venues saw victories with Halifax Wheelchair (RP Leisure Centre), Leigh Leopards Women (Twist Lane), Bradford Wheelchair (Preston College) and Barrow Ladies (Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium).
A Warrington Weekender saw the Men and Reserves secure wins while the Women salvaged a 22-22 draw at Victoria Park in the WSL opener before double success against Wakefield for the Men and Academy the following week. Another new venue at the end of April saw a trip to Rochdale Leisure Centre to see the Wheelchair Reserves over come Rochdale Wheelchair. This came a day after an England/France double in Warrington where I reunited with Lauréane Biville completing the selfie set with her playing for France and hinting of a Wigan return in Summer.
Mixed results followed with a win over Huddersfield Scholarship, SL losses to Hull and Leeds and draw with Leeds Reserves as the game was abandoned at 22-22 due to a Leeds player suffering a serious injury. The biggest winning streak so far saw eight victories and began with a perfect Women's Nines Group stage for Wigan as they eased past Castleford, London and Leigh on a day which saw four groups viewed and a first ever meeting and selfie with WN organiser and England captain Jodie Cunningham at Victoria Park.
Success followed against Warrington Women's Academy with a 72-0 hammering at WSJ before both the Men and Women sealed passage in the Challenge Cup with wins over Salford Women and Leeds. Redemption in SL with joy away at Hull KR and then Leeds Development Wheelchair in a RPLC festival double which saw the streak end with defeat to Leeds Wheelchair.
Victory away at Huddersfield Women opened June before a humbling by Catalans at Magic Weekend in Newcastle was followed by a St Helens trilogy with victories for the Women's Academy and Reserves sandwiching an SL defeat at the TW Stadium. A Challenge Cup double between RPA/DW saw success over Huddersfield Women and Warrington which led to another double being created for July in Leeds.
The Women came achingly close to a first trophy success of the year as they lost out in the Women's Nines final to Leeds having drawn with them in the group and stunning York Valkyrie and defeating Warrington. The first half of the year drew to a close with double successes over Salford (Men/Reserves) and Huddersfield (Academy/Men) bookending a scholarship victory against Hull FC.
Goals
In terms of goals, a huge haul of 28 were completed between January and June across many levels as follows.
- 21 Jan- 850,000 TA on Xbox One, 27 Jan - 60% Completion on TA.
- 3- Feb -150,000 TA on Windows. 10 Feb- 550,00G on Xbox One , 24 Feb - 3000 miles on Nike +
- 15 Mar- 1.5 Million Countdown lifts, 17 Mar- 500 Wigan attendances as ST holder, 26 Mar- 3 new venues. 27 Mar- 50 attendances in 2023.
- 1 Apr- First Wigan Wheelchair Reserves attendance, 2 Apr- 5 new venues/ 150 away attendances/75th away win, 5 Apr- First Scholarship away attendance, 8 Apr- 250 attendances between RPA/DW Stadium. 28 Apr- 3 years of Countdown lifts.
- 5 May - 500 RL Men's attendances, 14 May- 75 Women's attendances, 21 May - 600 RL attendances/ 350 RL wins, 22 May- 800 Countdown lift days, 25 May 300 SL (Non Wigan) attendances/350 SL attendances inc Wigan.
- 7 Jun- 250 home wins, 11 June- 25th Women's Super League, 14 Jun- 1,250,000 TA, 18 Jun- 50 Miles walked in 2023, 28 Jun- 25 Scholarship attendances, 30 Jun- 80 Men's Academy attendances.
Visual Highlights between Jan and June are also below...
